REPORT NOT CONFIRMED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19550, 4 February 1938, Page 5

REPORT NOT CONFIRMED

BRITISH SHIP SEIZED

TORPEDOING OF ENDYMION

ACCOUNT BY SURVIVORS

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Rec. February 4, 12 noon.) LONDON, Feb. 3.

The British United Press correspondent at Barcelona states that it is reliably reported that insurgent warships have seized two coal-carrying British ships off the SDanish east coast, and have xaKen them to the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean. TAKE in A

The Gibraltar naval authorities have not received reports regarding the seizure of any British ships and are inclined to disbelieve them.

The story of the torpedoing of the British steamer Endymion by an insurgent submarine is told by two of the survivors, the first mate, Mr. Thomas Stanley, and the chief engineer, Mr. W. Wood, who are still in hospital:

Mr. Wood said that the first warning was the sighting of the submarine 100yds. away. Shortly after, the torpedo struck the starboard bow. The crew ran to the bridge, where Captain A. C. Veramo and his wife were already standing.

The Endymion sank so quickly that it was impossible to launch lifeboats. A number jumped into the water as the ship sank, but most of them were dragged under by the suction. The four survivors, including two Spaniards, floated for 45 minutes before they were rescued by a Spanish Government coastguard vessel.